Buckeye Angler | Bass hitting early at Portage Lakes and Mogadore Reservoir

Early season fishing reports around the area are starting to roll in, with the bass fishing at the Portage Lakes and Mogadore Reservoir being a premier early-season story.

Jerk baits are scoring at Mogadore with Rat-L-Traps a traditional early season standout, as usual, at Portage Lakes.

Crappie fishing has finally busted loose after the worst April, weather-wise, in many years. Berlin and West Branch have just begun heating up while Mogadore and Deer Creek have been producing for some weeks. The cool weather has delayed the peak of the Conneaut Harbor breakwalls smallie frenzy, which is still going strong.

Angler Magazine's Ohio edition to return in June

Veteran outdoorsmen do not need to be reminded of the undeniable and increasingly ominous disappearance of most outdoors-oriented newspaper columnists, magazines, and media outlets.

That is why I'm so happy to report the re-initiation and distribution of one of my personal favorite and appreciated periodicals of all time. The Ohio edition of Angler Magazine is back under new ownership and management and will commence with the June edition.

This full-sized and thorough publication has a legacy of covering the Buckeye State thoroughly, with a particular emphasis and popularity along Lake Erie. New co-publisher Steve Philpott, who recently retired from the computer industry, tells me the magazine will debut under the new regime with an initial run of 10,000 copies statewide, to be given out at no charge at tourist meccas, outdoors stores, bait and tackle shops and marinas statewide.

Prospective readers and advertisers and prospective outlets may contact their office at 740-899-0591. As many of you already know, The Angler is published across the country as always, with the Ohio edition down for several years in search of new ownership.

A bevy of quality journalists will be involved, with our old friend Ron Slater and myself among them.

You may further check out developments at www.facebook.com/TheAnglerMagOhio.

Jack Kiser is the outdoors columnist for the Record-Courier and "Midwest Outdoors" magazine, as well as host of "Buckeye Angler" and "Destination: Outdoors" on PBS and Fox Sports. You may reach him at the Buckeye Angler Facebook site or the new buckeyeangler.com.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Fishing report for Northeast Ohio for early May says bass hitting